Archive for September, 2015

JPQs (Joe Public’s Questions)

Former Foreign Secretary William Hague, canny political operator that he is, used to coach the then leader of the Opposition David Cameron for Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). The trick, Hague says, is to phrase the question so that it is unanswerable, as an example: ‘Does the Prime Minister believe in Father Christmas?’ A ‘yes’ will be reported with scorn. A ‘no’ will be reported as the PM ruining Christmas for millions of children. Continue reading →

Picture Power

The memory does not like complexity. When we are coaching speakers or work- shopping crisis media management, our advice often boils down to: keep it simple. Whether it’s a speech or a statement, you often have to frame your message just as you would a picture. You can’t put brush to canvas until you know how big the canvas is; when you speak, ask yourself, ‘What is the one thing I want your audience to come away with?’ Harsh reality time: one thing is all they are likely to remember – at best.

Whether you’re speaking at a conference or spearheading a political campaign, you need to be aware of these takeaway moments. Politicians like a sound-bite (‘Education, education, education’ anyone?) but the best wordsmiths of all create pictures that stay with the audience. Think about Churchill with nothing to offer but ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat,’ or even ‘it’s the economy, stupid’ – a sort of boiled-down wise answer to a naive question. Coined in 1992, it’s being wheeled out to this day in the run up to the US Presidential Election. Continue reading →